


She Dragon

by Lilsi



Category: The Bill
Genre: Dragons, F/F, Fairies, Fairy Tales, Knights - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 04:05:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1495972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilsi/pseuds/Lilsi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A quest to kill the Dragon, Save the girl, if she even wants saving. Or just maybe ride of with the squire instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	She Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfiction was once posted at Craiggilmore.co.uk a fan site no longer active, so to preserve this story and others, I am importing them to AO3. I did not want the loss of such a large amount of amazing and wonderful fanfiction, it would be such a waste to fans of Craig Gilmore and Luke Ashton to not have the opportunity to enjoy these stories as i have. Since the site is no longer active i have been unable to contact the creators but if you happen to be them under a new pen name and want the fiction to be removed please send me a note!
> 
> Story written by - Alex
> 
> Part of the CG Fairy Tale Challenge

Once upon a time, in a tiny corner of the South West of England there lived a handsome young nobleman, who was sent by his father the Duke of Enmore to slay a mean spirited she dragon who had been terrorising one of the hamlets beyond the hills.  He was accompanied by his beautiful new squire.  He had high hopes for this one as he seemed to have a stout heart as well as a pretty face.  The last one had been a slacker, with poor personal hygiene to boot.

 

The sun glowed red in the western sky as the tall young knight reined in his magnificent grey horse and looked about him.  The ridge of hills they were to cross stretched away northwest.  Their duty lay to the south, if there had been more time he would have ridden southeast from his father's Hall and skirted the edge of the range where the going was easier.  Now as he turned his face northward he found his heart gladdened for there, in the far distance he saw the land across the water.  The land inhabited by a breed of fiery red dragons.  The land where young Earl had vowed to make his name.  He leapt from his horse and stamped his feet as he drew his saffron cloak tight against the chill wind and waited for his squire.

 

When he finally appeared the boy's face was flushed with exertion and, despite the cold, sweat had made his soft fair hair curl damply at his shoulders.  He had had the hard task of managing the worst mannered, most belligerent pack animal he had ever come across in all his 16 years that day.  The groom had warned him about the beast, which was named Matthew, but he hadn't listened (he should have taken the placid mare called June).  However Earl Craig noted with satisfaction that when Luke stepped jauntily over the grass towards him his eager face betrayed not the tiredness which he surely must have felt.

 

That night they dined meagerly on rabbit and such nuts and berries as were still to be found.  Their small fire burned brightly through the night and no creatures troubled them as they slept.  However the youth, woken in the night by strange noises had drawn closer to his master's side.  The nobleman had smiled still half asleep as he felt the squire move against him, grateful that this one apparently knew how to bathe.

 

Awake before sunrise the next morning they continued south after a hasty breakfast.  The bright sun gilded the autumn leaves on the trees as she rose.  They journeyed in companionable silence and made good time through the lightly wooded land until midday.  When, accustomed as they had become to the sound of their own thoughts and the rustle of the leaves on the trees, they were startled to hear subdued chatter ahead of them.  Cautiously they entered a small clearing and came upon a curious sight.  Outside a tiny cottage a small band of men were gathered, all dressed alike in shades of blue.  Navy were their tunics with girdles of black; cobalt their leggings; on their heads soft pointed caps of indigo and on their tiny feet stout boots of shiny black.  By their stature they appeared to be boys, but their faces were those of men, none aged less than twenty.  Aware of the strangers in their midst they fell quiet and turned their sorrowful faces towards the handsome knight in his brave livery of red and green; and his companion somberly clothed in black and grey.  One of them rose and came bristling over to them,

 

“Ye've gor 'ere at last then!” he snarled.

 

“I beg your pardon?” Earl Craig raised an eyebrow.

 

“Easy Des,” a plump, bespectacled man, hurried to join them and grabbed Des's arm, “this might not be **him.** ”

“Wha' d'ya mean Tony?” asked the youngest who had dark spiky hair and a dopey expression on his face.

 

“Course it's 'im!” retorted the first, “how many knights are we goin' ter get ridin' through 'ere hey?”

 

“It's got to be him!  Hasn't it Gary?” joined in the fourth, a sun tanned man with a ready smile.

 

“That's as maybe Cameron,” said the one who appeared to be called Tony, “you run ahead and warn Jim and George.  And we'll follow on with these two.”

 

“Would someone care to explain to me what in the blazes is going on?”  Earl Craig was thoroughly bewildered.

 

“I'll do that then shall I sire?” the last of them, a weasely looking fellow with oily hair, addressed him.  He then sneezed once loudly and wiped his nose with a large 'kerchief.

 

“You do that Reggie babe.” the grumpy one's tone softened as he spoke.

 

So they travelled a short way to a large glade, and they were glad to reach it because it was only then that Reg stopped his chatter.  There, in a crystal bier lay a beautiful maiden with golden hair; skin as white as snow and smiling lips of ruby red.  She was guarded by a drowsy looking blonde bloke with a large nose.

 

“So let's get this straight,” Luke tried to remember the pertinent details from the convoluted tale Reg had told them, “that girl is a Princess and she's been hiding here in the woods.  She was poisoned by person (or persons) unknown and because you all love her you've laid her in this glass case because you're _expecting_ a handsome Prince to come along and save her?  Meanwhile you guard her night and day so no more harm can come to her?”

 

The men in blue nodded.

 

“If he can't stay awake he's not much cop is he?” Luke pointed at Jim who was now fast asleep.

 

“George was here too,” explained Tony, “Cameron told them you were coming so now he's hiding.  He's a bit bashful.”

 

Now Earl Craig had many ideas on how to deal with dragons but none on how to deal with beautiful maidens, especially not those who were (or appeared to be) dead.  To give himself time to think he ordered that the bier should be taken back to the little cottage.  As the procession headed back Reg, who was carrying a rear corner, sneezed violently and dropped it.  The others could not manage to keep their grip and it fell onto the ground.  In horror they all gathered round, only for their tears to turn to shouts of gladness as their beautiful Snow White started coughing violently.  Earl Craig slapped her smartly on the back which caused a piece of poisoned apple, which in the fall had been dislodged, to finally be expelled. 

 

So they all returned triumphant to the tiny cottage and the now merry men prepared a fabulous feast.  The clever maiden saw then that the squire only had eyes for his handsome knight.  If she had been a different sort of girl Gemma (for such was her name) may have taken offence when she realised that Earl Craig's smile only reached his eyes when he looked upon the fair youth.  Yet she herself loved a wood nymph named Cassiopeia, the Silver Birch Fairy, who had secretly kept vigil over her in the glade.  So Gemma lost no time in letting Craig know that she expected nothing from him.  In fact she said she would be **most** pleased if they continued on their way without her. 

 

[Not long after the incidents recounted here, there appeared in the wood a perfectly proportioned tree house, such as is built by the folk who live in the trees for their mortal lovers, and there Gemma and Cassiopeia made a home together.  Gemma still remained friends with her boys in blue as she was grateful for all the kindness they had shown her.  And whilst she occasionally cooked for them and tidied the cottage, she no longer washed their dishes because her hands only stayed soft when she did that chore with her fairy.]

 

But that night Craig and Luke slept on the floor of the little cottage in the wood.  There was not a lot of room so they slept close together, which neither of them minded at all.  Luke woke next morning to find a heavy arm wrapped around his waist and felt happier than he had done in ages.  The young Earl awoke soon after and, flustered, apologised promising that it would not happen again.  Luke had smiled at him, for such a handsome knight to be so stupid was a pity he thought, “That would be a shame,” he said, “I thought you liked me!” and kissed him. 

 

They had an uneventful journey down the hillside; they walked together as Earl Craig said his horse needed a rest before the battle with the dragon which would happen the next day.  Even the troublesome pony jogged along willingly enough now the track led downwards.  They talked of many things as they walked along and knew each other much better by the time they reached the town of Taunton where they found a pleasant hostelry.  Over mugs of good ale Craig and Luke heard from the townspeople that the dragon they sought had now made her lair close to a great house, not far from where they now sat.  Trapped inside was a large party of well born women who had gathered from every corner of Albion to pay honour to the legendary troubadour Shy Owen Slim.  Indeed it was rumoured that a certain Queen Chynda had journeyed with her fair young daughter Daisy from a land so far away that there the night was as the day; summer as winter and where (to make the world seem right way up) the inhabitants all walked upon their hands!  They discussed tactics for the next day and retired early to bed, which upset Kerry, the jaundiced serving wench, who had hoped to earn a little extra cash that night, and to that end had been making eyes at Luke all evening. 

 

They spent that night in a goose feather bed, where eventually they slept.  And the following morning they arose in good spirits and both ate hearty breakfasts.  After which Luke sharpened Craig's sword, restrung his own bow and checked his quiver was full of arrows, whilst Craig saw to the balance of his lance.  When they were both ready they set off on the last leg of their adventure.

 

And so it was that they came to the place the dragon lay.  They knew it by the noxious odour of the thick brown smoke that blanketed the ground like fog as she slept.  It caught in their throats and made them cough, which warned her of their approach.  She uncurled herself; she was a dark and evil beast with beady coal black eyes and a mouth like a steel trap.  She liked nothing better than a good fight except drinking the liquid gold that fuelled her flames.  Surprised by her lack of size and  suddenly heedless of danger the inexperienced squire ran forward forgetting that they had a plan.  He was stopped in tracks by one word from his beloved knight; whereupon he unslung his bow and from a safe distance launched his attack.  Stung to anger by his well placed barbs the dragon rushed from her place of safety with a terrible roar,

 

“Gee-Nargh!” 

 

The ground shook and the knight's horse stumbled as he charged forward, but Craig urged him on faster and holding his lance firmly he aimed at the wide open, blood red mouth.  Driving its tip behind the yellow fangs, through the soft palate and up into her tiny brain before she could inhale and spit flame at him.  She fell to the earth with a startled expression and was dead moments later. 

 

The Princess Daisy in great excitement came tumbling from the house cheering, soon followed by all the ladies in considerable excitement, all clamouring to embrace the brave knight.  The two heroes were borne on a cloud of perfume back to the house celebrate.  It was not until the evening that they managed to make their excuses and leave.  Mounted on his magnificent grey horse with Luke behind him, Earl Craig bade the fine ladies goodbye and he and his beloved squire rode off into the sunset.


End file.
